Tips for safely frying turkeys

Sharon Dowdy

Saturday

Nov 23, 2013 at 10:08 PM

Frying a holiday turkey may sound like fun, but it can be tricky.

"People who fry turkeys say it produces a moister turkey. And, it's quicker," said Elizabeth Andress, a UGA Extension Service food safety specialist. "But in the eyes of safety experts, the typical propane-fueled turkey fryer is a major accident waiting to happen. There are definitely safety issues to consider."

Andress and other University of Georgia experts have a few tips to make sure your bird is thoroughly cooked and your holiday doesn't include a trip to the emergency room.

DON'T USE TOO MUCH OIL

Some of the most serious injuries are caused by faulty or misused equipment, like unstable fryer stands, uninsulated pot handles and or fry pots that have been overfilled with oil.

Filling the pot too full of oil can cause the oil to spill over when the turkey is placed in the pot. In addition to creating an oily mess, spillovers at cooking temperatures can cause severe burns, Andress warns.

To find the right amount of oil for your turkey, Andress suggests following these tips from the National Turkey Federation:

Before you marinate the turkey, put it in the fryer basket and place the basket in the pot. Add enough water until it reaches 1 to 2 inches above the turkey. Now remove the turkey and mark the water level. Pour out the water and dry the pot. Now, it's time for that turkey.

"You have to be sure all the harmful bacteria have been killed," she said. "The only way to do this is to measure the temperature of the cooked turkey in several places with a food thermometer."

First, heat the oil to 365 to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. This usually takes 45 minutes to an hour.

Next, add your turkey and allow the oil to return to 365 to 375 degrees. Whole turkeys require about three minutes per pound to cook. To be sure your bird is safely cooked, she said, the temperature must reach at least 165 degrees in the thickest part of the breast. Some cooks prefer the innermost part of the thigh to reach 180 degrees.

If the thought of lowering a 12-pound turkey into 8 gallons of bubbling oil, suspended over an open propane flame makes you nervous, there are now electric fryers available that take some of this guess work out of the process.

NEW FRYERS AVAILABLE

"A new electric infrared fryer is now available that doesn't even use oil," Andress said.

The Big Easy is a propane powered infrared roaster oven that cooks whole poultry, roasts and other large cuts of meat.

"It is said to give foods the look and taste of fried foods," she said.

Electric indoor fryers are also available. Designed strictly for indoor use, the electric fryer's safety features include a control panel with a built-in safety switch. If the panel isn't attached properly, the fryer won't work.

"Consumer Reports evaluated the electric indoor fryer that has added safety features such as (sturdier) legs and temperature sensors for automatic shutoff," Andress said. "At least one model will hold up to a 14-pound turkey."

The fryer also has a temperature sensor that automatically shuts down the heating element if the oil gets hotter than 400 degrees Fahrenheit. "Propane-fired turkey fryers can heat the oil until it bursts into flame," Andress said.

• Sharon Dowdy is a news editor with the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

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